Colorado Day 2 & 3-Estes Park

I woke up to the cloudless view of Pike’s Peak. I will never get tired of this mountain. This is a shot of the halfway point to the top.

After a 3 mile run and a Mallory workout, I had this!

Then it was on the way to Denver for shopping. I found what I was looking for…and I left with half the store in my bag. I can’t wait to share my new dishes!

I was stuck with the dreaded Food Court Lunch. But, before everyone feels too sorry or responds with the suck it up, cupcake, let me just pause for a moment and remember how good lunch was…..yeah, it was that good.

When I walked into the food area, all the usual jumped out at me. Panda (heart attack) Express, Chick-Fil-A (which I love love love but it’s fat fat fat), Sue Lins’ Sushi, Orange Julius, Dairy Queen, and Steak Escape (from your skinny jeans after one visit). Just as I was furiously calculating which place would do the least damage, I saw it. Paradise.

No, really, that’s the name of it. Paradise something or other. But what jumped out at me were the bins of fresh food! I’ve never seen so much fresh food at a food court cart. I wandered over and was excited by the “whole food at it’s peak” sign. I knew I wanted soup, but had no idea what kind of sandwich I wanted. I knew I wanted a good hearty bread that would stick with me for more shopping, but what to stuff in that bread?? I finally asked the lady what her biggest seller might be. She said without a doubt the Chicken Walnut Salad. I kinda frowned and asked about the mayo content. She stole my heart when she said they use a yogurt based dressing with lemon and herbs instead of mayo. That and a bowl of fire-roasted tomato soup, and I’m STILL talking about it.

Chicken Walnut and Fire Roasted Tomato soup. I flung off those crispy things on top.

This is a Mediterranean Salad. I didn’t have this but it was too pretty to ignore.

After this, it was on the way to Estes Park. Wow. I can’t describe everything right now. It’s a quiet little town in the valley of some mountains, right outside of Rocky Mountain National Park.